Thunder Storms
by IvoryWhiskers
Summary: Set in Wammy's House. Centred around L, Near, Mello and Matt. Because they're awesome and I wanted to show them and their relationship with L when they were younger, so L is left to comfort the three in a thunder storm. [[Oneshote]]


_A/N_: Just incase you didn't know:

Mello - Mihael

Near - Nate

Matt - Mail (Pronounced Mile)

I figured that Watari would use their real names when they were that young, even if L doesn't. Although in my head he's the one who nicknamed them anyways, so…

My first Death Note fic!

Eh…not sure how this turned out, feedback?

* * *

When the storm outside began to rage with twice as much fury, and the lightening caused the power to cut, Watari had expected nothing short of mass hysteria, and he had not been disappointed.

The ages of the occupants of Wammy's House were 4 to 16, the exception being the adults running the place and L, who at eighteen was merely visiting. The reactions of the younger children ranged from running screaming in floods of tears to the nearest adult, or using the power cut as an excuse to be mischievous.

Whilst some of the older children were rounding the younger one's up and to bed, Watari occupied himself in extinguishing the flaming plant pot he knew Mail had set alight. Vaguely wondering why Mail thought he wouldn't be accused of this, given his fascination with burning and blowing things up, Watari began to quickly check the rooms downstairs for any hiding children– oh, and more fires.

There were one or two children he found and sent on their way to bed, but thankfully no fires. There had however been a raid on the kitchen, which was now an absolute tip. Sighing and deciding that would have to be dealt with in the morning Watari began to feel his way cautiously back through the rooms and up the stairs.

Unfortunately not cautiously enough, as he soon found himself clutching desperately at the banister after tripping over an assortment of toys deposited on the stairs.

Finally regaining his balance he scooped them clumsily and hurried up the last few steps, throwing the toys haphazardly into the children's play room, not doubting that an irritated Nate would seek him out tomorrow and complain about his toys being thrown so carelessly in with the other children's. But, if the boy did insist on leaving them lying about…

It was a little early for bed, but with the power cut it had been best that everyone had been ushered to his or her rooms to sleep, as it avoided the kids finding new and most likely dangerous ways to amuse themselves in the dark.

The unmistakable sound of L's shuffling feet caused Watari to turn and peer down the dark corridor, eyes finally making out the silhouette of the young man heading his way.

Once L came to a halt in front of him with a mumbled greeting, Watari sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he spied the stack of ice-cream cartons balanced in the detective's arms.

L smiled brightly, cocking his head to the side, "I couldn't have them melting."

Chuckling Watari stepped aside, starting to make his way towards his room at the end of the corridor, "Goodnight, L. Oh and be careful, Nate was playing with some of his toys along here not long ago."

* * *

Sneaking on his tiptoes across the landing, Mello jumped violently as another clap of thunder sounded outside, giving way to a low rumbling. Barely managing to stifle his scared shriek with the hands clamped over his mouth he increased his pace, glancing warily around the pitch-black and wishing he had thought to bring a flashlight.

He didn't like the dark, and he didn't like thunderstorms, and he especially didn't like being in the dark in the middle of a thunderstorm.

After listening to the raging storm outside for what seemed like forever he had finally plucked up the courage to crawl out of bed and – dragging his favourite blanket with him – go into one of the other boys rooms. The 7-year old had briefly pondered going and crawling into bed with Matt, before remembering the boy disliked being woken.

So instead, he was making his way to the only other room where he thought he might be permitted to intrude so late and be welcome to spend the night.

Hearing the creak of a floorboard behind him was almost sent Mello running the rest of the way screaming his lungs out, be he refrained himself from doing that – barely.

Beginning to tremble a little he stood frozen in place for a few seconds before starting the tiptoe along again, ears straining for any other sounds.

Increasing his pace and unable to decide whether he was simply paranoid and listening too hard for sounds that didn't exist, or whether something really was stalking him down. Only hurrying along wasn't working, because now he was sure there was someone there and they seemed to be moving faster now too.

Stopping abruptly Mello screwed his eyes shut and spun around, flicking his lids open just in time to see Matt crash into him.

The pair knocked each other to the floor, where they both sat up, groaning.

"M…Mello…?" Matt called out in a whisper uncertainly.

"Hai," Mello muttered, rubbing at the new bump on his head.

Matt scrambled to his feet, feeling anxiously about for Mello. Once he felt his hand smack the poor blonde in the face, he apologized, dragging him to his feet.

"I don't like thunder storms." Mello whispered under his breath, feeling horribly vulnerable, stood in the pitch black in a state of paranoid panic.

"Me either." Matt mumbled back, shuffling nervously.

"C'mon…" Mello muttered, groping blindly about for Matt's hand. Upon feeling his fingers clasp around the other boys, he squeezed tightly, pleased the feel the action returned as he began his journey again.

Finally arriving without further incident at the end of the corridor, Mello hesitated only for a second before he pushed the door on the far right open, cringing as it creaked a little.

Peering cautiously around the door, the pair found the horrible blackness they were so terrified of being eaten away at by the soft, comforting light the wireless laptop on the table by the sofa was emitting.

"L…?" Mello asked, biting a little nervously at his lip.

L was settled on the sofa, his feet for once placed on the floor, although once Mello's eyes adjusted he could see that L was only sitting like a relatively normal person because Near, 5 years old, was curled in the detective's arms.

L, using one hand to tap at the keys of the laptop before him, and the other to cradle the slumbering Near, glanced up at the hesitating pair, holding a finger to his lips, indicating that they should be quiet.

"…Why's Near here?" Mello asked, scowling as he stepped into the room, Matt following.

L's eyes had returned to the monitor, "He couldn't sleep."

"You mean he's scared of thunder storms?"

"Uh-huh," L agreed distractedly.

"Hah! What a baby…" Mello scoffed, releasing Matt's hand and crossing his arms stubbornly.

L looked back up, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that why you're here?"

"What? I …no!" Mello raised his voice in defiance, pouting.

L chuckled, pulling Near – who was slipping from his lap – back up.

"What - I am not! Matt is!" he accused, pointing at the redhead, "I'm just here cos Matt's scared and he wouldn't come to see you on his own!"

"Hey!" Matt protested, "You're the one who's scared!"

"I am not you are!"

"No way! I was just going to the bathroom! It was you who dragged me here!"

"I did not! You wanted to come! I'm not scared!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not, you are!"

"No yo-"

"Hey, guys," L whispered, his quiet, calm voice for some reason cutting through the children's louder ones. He extended his free arm to them with a smile, "Come here."

Mello glared sulkily at him for a moment before reluctantly moving forwards, Matt following.

L shifted his position slightly to make room for the two, and Near stirred in the process but didn't wake. Eventually settling with Near cradled in his left arm, Mello curled against his right side with Matt against cuddled up to Mello, and L's arm easily wrapped around the pair of them.

"I'm not scared you know." Mello announced stubbornly as he snuggled against L, getting comfy.

"Of course not." L murmured, letting the blonde bite a chunk out of the chocolate bar he was currently nibbling on.

"I'm not."

"Mmmm."

"Me either."

"Yeah, neither of us is."

"I know."

"…"

"L?"

"Yes?"

"…Can we stay here tonight?"

"Of course."

"Thanks."

"…L?"

"Hmm?"

"We're really not scared."

"I know."

"…Near is."

"I know."

"Yeah."

"…"

"…L?"

"Yes?"

"Night-night."

"Goodnight."

"…Love you."

"…"

"…L? …What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Nothing…love you three too."

"What, even Near?"

"Yes, all three of you."

"…You like me more right?"

"I like you all equally."

"…well I am better than Near."

"Okay."

"And so's Matt."

"Okay."

"We're ten times better than he is, right Matt?"

"…"

"... Matt?"

"Matt's asleep, Mello."

"Oh…well we're still better."

"Goodnight Mello."

Mello smiled, "Night-night," he mumbled sleepily, feeling L press a kiss to the top of his head as he drifted off.


End file.
